EU ends Poland’s Union law-violating process

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announces the termination of the six-year rule of law proceedings against Poland, marking the start of a ‘new chapter’ for the country

The European Union announced that it has concluded the procedure it initiated against Poland for “violating Union law.”

In a written statement, the European Commission reported that it had completed the analysis of the “Article 7” violation procedure due to the breach of EU law.

The statement said, “The Commission considers that there is no longer a clear risk of a serious breach of the principle of the rule of law in Poland under Article 7(1) of the EU Treaty.”

Poland has implemented a series of legal and legislative measures to address concerns about the independence of its judicial system. In a statement, it acknowledged the priority of EU law and announced plans for an annual evaluation of the country’s progress on this path in the future.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed her views on social media, stating, “Today marks a new chapter for Poland. After over 6 years, we believe that the Article 7 procedure can be closed. I congratulate Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his government on this significant breakthrough. This achievement reflects Poland’s diligent work and determined reform efforts.”

Background

As part of its 2019 judiciary reform, the European Commission accuses Poland of undermining judicial independence by implementing disciplinary measures against judges.

The commission started a “violation procedure” against Poland after a ruling by the EU Court of Justice on June 5, 2023, which validates the commission’s accusations of non-compliance with EU legislation. This action can potentially result in Poland having its voting rights in the EU Council suspended.

The commission responded by freezing Poland’s access to an estimated 113 billion euros ($121.86 billion) in EU funds. 

Source: AA